Process and apparatus for manufacturing mosaics



Jan.v17,1967 I E. vEvoDA 3,293,886

l PROCESS AND APPARATUS 4FOR MANUFACTURING MosAlcs Filed Feb.. 4, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ERNEST VEVODA Janfl?, 1967 E. vEvonA 3,298,886

v PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING MOSAICS Filed Feb. 4, 196s 4sheets-sheet 2 A INVENTOR` .A ERNESTV vEvoDA n BY 'A KZMR'MM f ATTORNEYSI Jan. 17, 1967l E, 'VEVQDA 3,298,886

v PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING MOSAICS Filed Feb. 4, 1965 v 4Sheets-Sheet 5 67 hQ8 l j 707 INVENTOR. ERNEST vEvoDAf BY v ""md'm l?mfr/M ATTORNEYS E. VEVODA PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURINGMOSAIGS Filed Feb. 4, 196s 4 Sheefs-Sheet 4 K INVENTOR. `ERNEST .VEVODABY ATToRNL-:Ysf

United States Patent G Ernest This invention relates to the manufactureof mosaics. More particularly it relates to an improvement in the methodfor arranging mosaic chips into a mosaic pattern andV for atiixng thepermanent substrate or backing to the individual chips or. tiles. Italso relates to apparatus for doing the same. K i

Previously, it has been the` practice in making mosaics to arrange themosaic chips in the desired pattern in a single plane and then apply atemporary backing such as kraft paper to one surface of the mosaic chipswith lan adhesive. The chips with the temporary backing were then turnedover and eventually a permanent backing was applied to the other surfaceof the chips.

'This two-step procedure was necessary Ibecause beforel the chips areattached to some type of substrate, they are subject to dislocation byany slight movement. For example, one of the common types of permanentbacking employed is a cement asbestos board. If the chips had heretoforenot been first fixed in relative positions by adhesion to a temporarybacking paper, when the cement asbestos board was placed in positionagainst the chips, some of the chips would become dislocated and causedisarray to the mosaic pattern. This is due to the fact that thecementasbestos board is normally flexible and it'has not Vbeen possible toplace the board in contact with all of the mosaic chips simultaneously.The contact of the board against some of the tiles would jar theremaining tiles out of their appropriatepositionsbefore being contactedwith the board. On the other hand, when a temporary backing such askraft-paper is employed, the extreme flexibility of the paper permitsits positioning on the pattern.

lThis prior two-step procedure has several disadvantages. First, as the'term implies it involves two steps and is, therefore, both. costly'andtime-consuming as compared with a single step procedure where thepermanent backing is applied directly to the chips'. In addition, wherethe two-step procedure with the temporary backing is employed, thetemporary backing must ultimately be physically removed to expose thefinished mosaic.v In ef,- fect then, the two-step procedure requiresthree steps with the third step comprising removal of thetemporarylbacking. Further, with this two-step laminatingcombination,there is a danger of air entrapment when the permanentbacking Vis applied while the kraft paper is still in place on theopposite side of the chips. This can lead to a poor bond between thechips and the permanent backing. Finally, the two-step method requirestwo different coats of laminating resin or the like-one for the thetemporary backing and the other for the permanent backing.

chips witho'ut disturbing the mosaic The present invention avoids thedisadvantages'of the l prior practices in that it permits the directpositioning ofthe permanent ,backing against the mosaic chips withoutthe necessity of using `and `subsequently removing a lCC Thev presentinvention also provides a new Way for positioning the individual mosaicchips into a single plane or layer to define a mosaic pattern so thatthe permanent backing member may be affixed thereto by theaforementioned technique or by any other. The method and apparatus foraccomplishing this end is characterized by speed made possible bysemi-continuous operation, and efficiency in arranging the chips inproper location without jamming.

Thus in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there isprovided an improved method -of forming mosaics including the steps ofpositioning a plurality of mosaic chips in a common plane to define amosaic pattern by providing a controlled flow of chips onto a moving webin a single layer and providing a tunnel having one closed end and aheight approximately equal to the thickness of the .layer of chips. Theweb with the chips resting thereon is moved through the tunnel along itsbottom end under the closed end thereof so that the chips on the web arestopped by the closed end of the tunnel and retained therein. The closedtunnel end and the chips initially stopped also serve to` stopsubsequent chips moved by the web while the impact of chip upon chip andtunnel serve to shift the chips into a closely spaced mosaic pattern onthe web. The mosaic pattern on the web is then transferred from the webto a generally fiat horizontal surface. A permanent normally fiexiblebacking member is provided having opposing first and second fiatsurfaces and adhesive on the first flat surface thereof. The backingmember is supported substantially uniformly over its second fiat surfacewith a vacuum plate so that said entire first flat adhesive surface liessubstantially in'a single plane. The first fiat adhesive surface ismoved, while continuing to support the backing member, parallel to themosaic pattern on 4the horizontal surface and into parallel bondingcontact therewith. The chips may then be further caused to adhesivelyunite themselves in fixed mosaic pattern to said first flat adhesivesurface. Further, as in prior procedures, cementitious grouting may beplaced between the chips along withother conventional finishing steps.

The foregoing method, and apparatus provided by the present inventionthat is suitable for use with the method, are more specificallyillustrated in the accompanying drawings where there-is shown in FIG. 1schematically i `in side section, part of a pair of glass plates forpositioning the mosaic -chips in a single plane withv chipstherebetween.

FIG. 2 shows schematically in side section, apparatus for practicing thepresent method including the means for moving the mosaic backing intoposition against the mosaic chips.

FIG. 2a shows schematically in side section an alternate embodiment forpositioning the backing against the temporary backing material. The gistof this aspect `of the present invention lies in supporting thepermanent backing parallel to the chips substantially uniformly'over`its surface so that all of the ceramic chips simultaneously contact `thepermanent backing. As a result, none of the chips are jarred out ofposition by piecemeal contact between the chips` and the backing.

chips.

FIG. 3 shows schematically in side section the position of part of thevacuum plate after the backing has been moved into contact with themosaic chips.

FIG. 4 shows schematically in side section the apparatus of FIG. 3 butwherein the apparatus is turned upside down.

FIG. 5` shows schematically in'side section part of -a mosaic inposition on permanent backing after both glass plates have been moved.

FIG. 6 shows schematically in side elevation a portion of the presentapparatus for making mosaics relating to the positioning of individualchips into a mosaic pattern occupying .a single layer.l

FIG. 7 `shows schematically a top view of the apparatus illustrated inFIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows schematically in sidek elevation that portion of thepresent apparatus to be joined to the left side Patented Jan. 17, 1967of the apparatus of FIG. 6 and including the swinga-ble surface fortransferring chips from the conveyor belt and a vacuum belt similar toth-at illustrated in FIG. 2a for cooperation With the swingable surface.

FIG. 9 shows schema-tically in top elevation the apparatus of FIG. 8 andparticularly illustrates the pivoting of the transfer surface and vacuumplate.

The :aspect of the process dealing with the direct joining of thepermanent backing in one step to the mosaic pattern is illustratedparticularly in FIGS. 1-5. A 'plurality of glass or ceramic or othersuitable type of mosaic chips `10 are confined within a single plane andarranged in a mosaic pattern. One specific method for so arranging theseceramic chips 10 is illustrated by FIGS. 6-9 and will be described indetail hereinafter. However, any technique for accomplishing the desiredarrangement may be employed.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 the chips 10 are confined ina single plane between two glass plates 11 `and 12. It should be obviousthat the plates need not be glass but may be any rigid plates suitablyhaving polished planar surfaces and also having the necessary resistanceto abrasion :and a low coefficient of friction.

' The chips 10 may be disposed between the glass plates 11 and 12 by theprocess described and illustrated in United States Patent No. 2,949,689to Vida patented August 23, 1960.

After the chips 10 have been disposed in one common plane as in FIG. 1,the first or upper glass plate 11 is removed so that the 4chips 10 aresupported solely on the lower or bottom plate as shown in FIGS. 2 and2a.

A suitable permanent backing for t-he mosaic chips 10 is. provided.Preferably, the backing is :a cement asbestos board and such will beused for illustration. However, other suitable materials such las sheetmaterials includling metals like sheet aluminum, whether fiexible orrelatively more rigid like the cement asbestos board and includingmaterials such las Wood fiberboard, plywood, precast concrete slab andthe like, could also be used as will be obvious to those skilled in theart.

Cement asbestos board 13 has first fiat surface 13a and second fiatsurface 13b and a suitable adhesive layer 14 on the first fiat surface13a thereof. Any suitable adhesive is used for this purpose. Preferably,the adhesive is -made from a polyester resin and may include aninorganic filler and =a pigment. A number of other suitable adhesives orbinding materials can be compounded from various resins such :aspolyester and epoxy resins and they can be filled, pigmented a-nd/orreinforced wit'h fibers as conditions may require. In like manner, theadhesive material may be a modified Portland cement bond coat which canbe used on certain types of backing materials particularly wherefire-resistant qualities in the finished mosaic panel are desired.

In order to directly position the permanent backing on the ceramic chips10 without disturbing any portion of the mosaic configuration, cementasbestos board 13 is uniformly supported over substantially entirely itssecond fiat surface 13b". The uniform support here illustrated comprisesa vacuum plate 15 linked to an alternate source of vacuum and pressure16 by fiexible conduit 17. When source 16 is actuated for vacuum, itapplies a negative pressure over second surface 13b of cement asbestosboard 13 through a plurality of channels 18. Channels 18 are defined bya plurality of dividers 34 in vacuum plate 15 and lare distributed sothat channels 18 uniformly cover a major portion of the surface 13b ofcement asbestos board 13. Channels 18 thereby define a plurality oforifices on the surface of vacuum plate 15 at the interface with secondsurface 13b, with each orifice having the function of a suction cup.Consequently, cement asbestos board 13 may be supported so that adhesivelayer 14 on first surface 13a of cement board 13 may be caused to liesubstantially in one com-mon plane. If adhesive layer 14 is placed inone common plane land then moved into parallel bonding contact withmosaic chips 10, mosaic chips 10 will all be simultaneously adhered tocement asbestos board 13 and will keep their mosaic. configuration.

This may be accomplished by any suitable method such as one of the twoalternative methods illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 2a. In FIG. 2 vacuumplate 15 is supported over chips 10. Vacuum plate 15 is mounted parallelto and over supporting surfacel 20 by suitable attachment to beam 35.Bea-m -35 is in turn supported at opposite ends on cylinders 21 and 22within which hydraulic pistons 23, 24 reciprocate respectively. (Beam 35may of course be actua-ted other ways-such as electrically orpneu-matically instead of hydraulically.) Pistons 23, 24 are Vfixed tobeam by connecting rods 25 and 26 respectively. Pistons 23 and 24 aresuitably actuated wit-hin cylinders 21 and 22 hydraulically for.simultaneous and coordinated up and down motion in conventional fashionfrom a source of hydraulic fiuid under pressure (not shown).

When pistons 23 and 24 are urged downwardly, cement asbest-os board 13(which has been uniformly supported over chips 10 by vacuum plate 15 asdescribed above) is moved downwardly normal to chips 10 and intoparallel contact therewith. (Alternatively, surface 20 could be movedupwardly.) After bonding contact has been made between cement asbestosboard 13 and chips 10, the negative pressure applied to board 13 byplate 15 for uniform support may be released and vacuum plate 15 movedupwardly out of contact with board 13 by reversing the hydraulicpressure in cylinders 21 and 22 and moving pistons 23 and 24 upwardly.Chips 10 have therefore been adhered t-o board 13 by adhesive ilayer 14and may be further treated as described hereinafter.

In a preferred procedure, before vacuum plate 15 is moved upwardly thenegative pressure applied by plate 15 is released and positive pressureis supplied from alternate vacuum and pressure source 16 to plate 15.The positive pressure applied from plate 15 to board 13 serves to cause-a positive bond between chips 10 and adhesive layer 14. This eliminatesall chance of failure of some of the chips 10 to adhere to board 13 whenbrought into contact with adhesive `layer 14. Positive pressure can alsolbe applied from the hydraulic apparatus described.

In the alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 2a, board 13 is placed inparallel bonding contact with chips 10 by swinging board 13 about fixedpoint 27. Chips 10 on plate 12 are placed on a suitable supportingsurface 28. Board 13 with its adhesive layer 14 are supported by vacuumplate 15 as above. Vacuum plate 15 is again linked to alternate vacuumand pressure source 16 by conduit 17. In this case, however, vacuumplate 15 is bolted to pivot arm 29 by bolts 19. Pivot larm 29 ispivotable about shaft 30 running through fixed point 27.

Shaft 30 and pivot arm 29 arevin turn supported by first upright arm 31.First upright arm 31 is slidably and releasably locked to second uprightarm 32 by bolt 33 fixed to arm 32 and passing through vertical slot 31ain upright arm 31 and threaded to nut 33a. Consequently, if nut 33a isloosened, first upright arm 31 may be moved up or down vertically tothereby select a suitable height for vacuum pl-ate 15 and cementasbestos board 13 and fixed by tightening nut 33a. The vertical heightselected will depend upon the thickness of plate 12 and the resultingheight of mosaic chips 10. When pivot arm 29 is pivoted about shaft 30,board 13 will be swung parallel to chips 10 and into parallel bondingcontact therewith.

After moving board 13 into parallel bonding contact with chips 10through adhesive layer 14, the various memtop and vacuum plate 15 is nowon bottom as illustrated in FIG. 4. By removing plate 12 as illustratedin FIG. 5,

chips are exposed, Suitably, chips 10 may *then be adhesively furtherunited to board 13v through adheslve layer' 14 by any `suitable stepssuch as heat curing the adhesive 14or'tl1e like.

` Further treatment of chips 10 (which define a mosaic pattern) maybedesiredin accordance with conventional practice. For example,cementitious lgrouting may be placed between the chips 10 and the edgesofthe board 13 may be cut, sanded, and the like. t

FIGS. l6-9' illustrate'themethod and `apparatus of the present inventionwhich may be used for obtaining a mosaic 'pattern of chips in -a singlelayer. The figures also illustrate how this apparatus may be integratedIfor cooperation with the pivoted vacuum plate of FIG. 2a.

`With 'reference tol FIGS. `6 and 7, individual chips are fed into 'ah-opper 36 from which they are discharged through a gate 37 (when open)and into a trough .or feeder A38. Ther chips are caused to be dischargedfrom trough 38 when trough 38 is vibrated by arm 39 attached totrough-38. r Arm 39 is1actuated by a suitable power source40. w

The chips, upon being discharged from trough 38,- are disposed rupon acontinuous conveyor belt 41. Beltv 41 lpasses over plate 42. Plate -42is supported upon a plurality of suction cups43 which are in turnmounted upon beams 44.` Belt `41 passes .over suitably coated rollers45, 46 which are in y'turn supported in bearings 47, 48 respectively.Bearings 47, 48 are mountedon base 49; Beams 44 are likewise mounted on.base 449. Belt 41 also passes` around a centrally disposed rollersupported in bearing 51. Roller -50 is adjustable in bearing 51 toprovidethe desired uniform tension on belt 41.

"Roller 46 is drivenby motor 52 through a variable speed drive `53 and abelt or chain 54. `Rotation of roller 46k in. turn causesr movement ofbelt 41 around rollers 46, 45 and l50 while belt 41 is passed over plate421 in the direction of the arrows.

Thechips leave trough ,l 38 because of its vibratory movement impartedto the chips` and'drop onto belt 41 in the area ygenerally indicated by55. Since `belt 41 is moved in the direction of thearrows, the chipsentering upon belt 41 in the area 55`are carried through amechanism Afor disposing the chips in a single, layer on the belt 41. This step isnecessary since the chips in many cases fall fromtrough 38 onto belt 41in overlapped and stacked relation. The mechanism A for disposing thechips in a common' planer includesv a plurality of transverse arms 56supported over belt 41 on housings 58, 58 on` opposite sides of basek49.Each arm 56 is attached at oneend to' aspring 57 suitably -mounted inhousing 58. At the other end arm 56 is attached to a cam shaft 59 inhousing-58. Cam shaftv 59 is in turn. actuated by a motor -60 withsuitable linkages61`.,` As motorn60 ydrives cam shaft 59, 'armsf5g6"areshiftedtransversely toward springs 57 out of phase with each otherdepending upon the shape ofv cam shaft p59., When each arm 56 reachesits -furthermost lateralshift towarda spring 57, the spring 57 incombination with the further rotation ofV cam shaft 59 causes the arm 56to return to its starting position back t-oward cam shaft 59 for arepetition of the cycle.

Depending lfrom each armA `56 is. a^plurality Iof closely spacedflexible brushes I62. The lower edge =63 of brushes 62 is set above belt41 at a distanceapproximately equal to the thickness of a single layerof chips. As a result, as'Iv the chips pass beneath brushes y62 on belt41, the transverse motion of the brushes 62 on the chips 10 cause thechips to become disposed on belt 41 in a single layer.

The single layer of chips are then conveyed by belt 41 into a space 64defined .by a tunnel 65 having one closed end 66 and comprising anoverhead plate l67 having two longitudinally depending lips 68, 68 and adepending li-p 69 forming closed end 66. Lips 68, 68 and 69 are of aselected height, and plate 67 is positioned a distance above belt 41 sothat the space 64 inside tunnel 65 -has a verti- 71. and a pair oflongitudinal arms 72 interconnected to -forrn a frame 'denotedlgenerally by 73. Frame 73 is` pivotally supported for swingablemovement about rallA 74 positioned longitudinally alongside base 49.Base 49 is slidably supported on tracks 75, 7-6 (which are Iparallel* torail 74) so that base 49 may belongit-udinally shifted from thepositions shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 to a second position longitudinallyspaced therefrom for'cooperation with the apparat-us illustratedV inFIGS.k 8 and 9 (to` be described hereinafter). v

When in position showninFIGS. 6 andl 7', tunnel 65 i supported by frame73. Frame 73 is supportedon one of its sides on rail 74 by bearings 77.Frame 73 is supported on its transversely opposite side from rail 74 bya pair of adjustment screws 7 8which depend downwardly through arms 71,through base 49, and rest upon -rail 76. Tunnel 65 maybe raised orlowered with respect to belt 41 by turning screws 78 in the properdirection.

As the chips enter `tunnel' -65 their movement in the direction of thearrows is stopped when they reach closed end 66. of tunnel 65.Subsequent chips moving into tunnel` 65 are also stopped in tunnel65vwhen they meet andy touch the initially stopped chips. The impact ofchip upon chip and against the interior of tunnel 65 causes the chips toshift into a closely spaced mosaic pattern resting on belt 41. Duringthis sequence belt 41 continues to move through tunnel `65.along thebottom thereof and under closed end I66. When a sufficiently largemosaic pattern has formedV in tunnel 65, vibrating trough 38 iS shut offand' conveyor belt 41 is stopped by turning motor 5201i with suitableswitches (not shown). Tunnel 65 and frame 73 are then pivoted lupwardly`and away from conveyor belt 41 about rail 74`leaving a mosaic patterndisposed on the portion of belt 41 that happened` to have beenpositioned in tunnel 65v at the time that motor 5.2 was stopped. Base 49is then slid longitudinally to the left as viewed in FIGS. 6 and 7 ontracks 75, 76.

Referring now toFIGS. 8 and 9., base 49 is shifted on tracks 7-5, 76 tothe left until base 49 -reaches collar 79 on track 76 whereupon .furtherlongitudinal shifting lto the left is prevented. Belt41 with the` mosaicpattern disposed thereon `is now adjacent to a transfer surface showngenerally at 80. In the preferred embodiment transfer surface80comprises a pair of parallel frame members 81 which a-re pivotally andslidably supported on a rod 82 by bearings 83. Rod 82 is parallel to andadjacent tracks 75, 76. (Rod `82may be a separate entity or an extensionto the left of rail 74.) A resiliently de-- formable generally flatsheet 84`is supported between frame members 81. Any soft tiexibleresiliently deformable material. may be usedfor sheet 84. A spongy mate?rial such as neoprene has been found suitable for this purpose. l

When base 49 has been moved and stopped by collarA 79, frame members 81will be in position for cooperation therewith when frame members 81 areshifted to the-right on rod 82 as viewed in FIG. 8 until positionedagainst collar 85. Frame members 81 are then pivoted about rod 82 untilside 86v of sheet 84 rests upon and in contact with the chips which m-aybe disposed upon belt 41. With side 86 of resilient sheet 84 pressingagainst the mosaic pattern, the entire apparatusresting upon anincludingv base 49 is pivoted in conjunction with frame members 81 backabout rod 82 until the chips have been turned 180" and are then resting`on surface 86 of sheet 84. Because. sheet 84 is a resilientlydeformable member, the individual chips are suitably pressed into sheet84 and are retained in their relative positions during the pivotalmovement. Consequently, the mosaic pattern is not disturbed during thispivoting movement. Suit-able clamps (not shown) may be employed to lockarms 81 and sheet 84 to belt 41 and base 49 during the pivotal movement.After the chips have been positioned onto surface 86, base 49 with theconveyor apparatus thereon is repositioned on tracks 75, 76 and shiftedlongitudinally to the right back to its position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.I-t is then ready to begin a subsequent cycle for the formation of amosaic pattern from chips supplied from trough 38.

The mosaic pattern that is now on surface 86 of sheet 84 is ready forjoinder directly to la permanent backing member by a sequence of stepssimilar to that already described in FIG. 2a. Frame members 81 withsheet 84 and the mosaic chips resting on surface 86 may be slid in ahorizontal position with the frame members 81 supported on `rod 82 onone side, and on the other side resting upon a Irod 87 that is parallelto `rod 82 and transversely spaced therefrom. Movement is continued asuitable distance until frame members 81 are adjacent to vacuum plate 88and left bearing 83 is adjacent to vacuum plate lbearing 89. Vacuumplate 88 is suitably pivotally mounted on rod 8'2 on bearings 89, 90 andmaintained in a fixed desired position by bearings 91, 92. When framemembers 81 are in proper position, vacuum plate 88 is pivoted about rod82. If a suitable permanent backing 93 is uniformly supported by vacuumplate 88 in the manner described with reference to FIG. 2a and has asuitable adhesive 94 on the surface of backing 93, vacuum plate 88 maybe swung so 4that adhesive surface 94 may be brought into parallelbonding contact with the chips that are disposed on the surface 86 ofysheet 84. FIG. 9 illustrates the relationship of .the parts in theselast named steps. In this figure, vacuum plate 88 and sheet 84 are shownin a position 60 from the horizontal. The remaining steps to completethe formation of a mosaic panel may then be executed -as notedhereinbefore.

Although the foregoing invention has been described.

in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes ofclarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes andmodifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention aslimited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of positioning a plurality of mosaic chips in a common planeto define a mosaic pattern comprising providing a controlled flow ofchips onto a moving web in a single layer, providing a tunnel having oneclosed end and a height approximately equal to the thickness of sai-dlayer of chips, moving said web with said chips resting thereon throughsaid tunnel along its bottom and under the closed end thereof so thatthe chips on said web are stopped by the closed end of the tunnel andretained therein, said closed tunnel end and chips initially stoppedalso serving to stop subsequent chips moved by said web while the impactof chip upon chip and tunnel serve to shift the chips into a closelyspaced mosaic pattern on said web, transferring said closely spacedmosaic pattern of chips from said web to a gener-ally flat resilientlydeformable horizontal surface by holding said web stationary, swingingsaid tunnel about a fixed point away from said web, swinging saidlresilient fiat surface about a fixed point into overhead parallelcontact with the mosaic pattern on said web, turning said resilient fiatsurface 180 in cooperation with the web without disturbing the mosaicpattern so that the chips face upwardly on said resilient surface,providing a permanent normally fiexible backing member having first andsecond flat surfaces and adhesive on the first Hat surface thereof,supporting said backing member substantially uniformly over its secondflat surface with a vacuum plate so that said entire first flat adhesivesurface lies substantially in a single plane, moving said first atadhesive surface by swinging said backing member about a fixed point,while continuing to uniformly support the backing member, parallel tosaid upwardly spaced chips and into parallel bonding contact therewith.

2. Apparatus for the manufacture of mosaics comprising: a horizontalconveyor, means for controllably supplying chips to said conveyor, meansfor arranging said chips on said conveyor in a single layer, a tunnelhaving one closed end and a height approximately equal to said singlelayer of said chips, said conveyor being disposed as as to pass throughsaid tunnel along its bottom and then under the closed end thereof, theclosed end of said tunnel being operable to stop said layer of chipswithin the tunnel as the conveyor passes under the closed end, saidlayer of chips being repositioned on the conveyor inside the tunnel intoa closely spaced mosaic pattern by the impact of chip upon chip andtunnel as the chips are stopped within said tunnel, means for rotatingsaid mosaic pattern and -transferring the same from within said tunnelto the top of a `generally horizontal flat surface without disturbingsaid pattern, and means for directly bonding a permanent backing memberto said mosaic pattern on said fiat surface without disturbing saidpattern.

3. Apparatus for the manufacture of mosaics cornprising: a continuoushorizontal belt conveyor, means for driving said belt conveyor, a hopperand vibrating trough feeder adapted for controllably supplying chipsonto said belt, a plurality of transverse arms supported over said beltadjacent said trough, means to transversely reciprocate said arms, aplurality of closely spaced liexible brushes depending .from each ofsaid arms over said belt at a distance operable to arrange the chipspassing thereunder on the belt ina single layer, a pair of supportingtracks parallel to the longitudinal axis of said belt conveyor forslidably supporting said conveyor for movement to -a first position forcooperation with said trough and to a second position spaced therefrom,a plate pivotally supported on a rail adjacent `said tracks for periodicpositioning over said belt conveyor, said plate having depending lips onits sides and on one of its ends opposite from said trough to define -atunnel over said belt of an internal height approximately equal to thethickness of a single layer of chips, said belt defining the bottom ofthe tunnel, a -rail parallel and adjacent to said belt conveyor when inits second position, a flat resiliently deformable surface pivotallysupported on said rail adjacent said second position for overheadcontact with said belt and chips thereon, said conveyor being swingablein cooperation with the pivoting of said resiliently deformable surfacewhen the conveyor is in said second position and the deformable surfaceis in overhead contact therewith to transfer chips in a mosaic patternfrom said belt to said deformable surface and to thereby rotate thechips 180 from their starting position on the belt, and a pivot-allysupported vacuum plate for uniformly supporting a permanent mosaicbacking member, said vacuum plate and resiliently deformable surfacebeing slidable relative to each other so that said surface may be placedalongside said vacuum plate and a. permanent backing member may bepivoted into parallel bonding contact with chips on said resilientsurface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 942,902 2/1910Karazej et al 156-560 X 1,315,167 9/1919 Semashko 156-562 X 1,460,8657/1923 Sharp 156-561 3,013,370 l2/1961 Vidya 156-562 X 3,113,900 12/1965Abernethy et al. 156--560 X 3,181,987 5/1965 Polevitzky 156-562 X EARLM. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

I. J. BURNS, HAROLD ANSHER, Assistant Examiners.

1. A METHOD OF POSITIONING A PLURALITY OF MOSAIC CHIPS IN A COMMON PLANETO DEFINE A MOSAIC PATTERN COMPRISING PROVIDING A CONTROLLED FLOW OFCHIPS ONTO A MOVING WEB IN A SINGLE LAYER, PROVIDING A TUNNEL HAVING ONECLOSED END AND A HEIGHT APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF SAIDLAYER OF CHIPS, MOVING SAID WEB WITH SAID CHIPS RESTING THEREON THROUGHSAID TUNNEL ALONG ITS BOTTOM AND UNDER THE CLOSED END THEREOF SO THATTHE CHIPS ON SAID WEB ARE STOPPED BY THE CLOSED END OF THE TUNNEL ANDRETAINED THEREIN, SAID CLOSED TUNNEL END AND CHIPS INITIALLY STOPPEDALSO SERVING TO STOP SUBSEQUENT CHIPS MOVED BY SAID WEB WHILE THE IMPACTOF CHIP UPON CHIP AND TUNNEL SERVE TO SHIFT THE CHIPS INTO A CLOSELYSPACED MOSAIC PATTERN ON SAID WEB, TRANSFERRING SAID CLOSELY SPACEDMOSAIC PATTERN OF CHIPS FROM SAID WEB TO A GENERALLY FLAT RESILIENTLYDEFORMABLE HORIZONTAL SURFACE BY HOLDING SAID WEB STATIONARY, SWINGINGSAID RESILIENT FLAT SURFACE ABOUT A FIXED POINT INTO OVERHEAD PARALLELCONTACT WITH THE MOSAIC PATTERN ON SAID WEB, TURNING SAID RESILIENT FLATSURFACE 180* IN COOPERATION WITH THE WEB WITHOUT DISTURBING THE MOSAICPATTERN SO THAT THE CHIPS FACE UPWARDLY ON SAID RESILIENT SURFACE,PROVIDING A PERMANENT NORMALLY FLEXIBLE BACKING MEMBER HAVING FIRST ANDSECOND FLAT SURFACES AND ADHESIVE ON THE FIRST FLAT SURFACE THEREOF,SUPPORTING SAID BACKING MEMBER SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY OVER ITS SECONDFLAT SURFACE WITH A VACUUM PLAT SO THAT SAID ENTIRE FIRST FLAT ADHESIVESURFACE LIES SUBSTANTIALLY IN A SINGLE PLANE, MOVING SAID FIRST FLATADHESIVE SURFACE BY SWINGING SAID BACKING MEMBER ABOUT A FIXED POINT,WHILE CONTINUING TO UNIFORMLY SUPPORT THE BACKING MEMBER, PARALLEL TOSAID UPWARDLY SPACED CHIPS AND INTO PARALLEL BONDING CONTACT THEREWITH.